A first glance of Germany from a Ghanaian perspective – by Eli Attipoe
It just feels like yesterday when I was at Kotoka International Airport (Accra) with my parents – it was a bit sad but then I was excited about the journey ahead. I knew the 3-month internship at the University of Education Karlsruhe (PHKA) in Germany would bring me promising experience (cf. my “Letter from Ghana“), and indeed it has brought me a lot of experiences I will never forget and would live with me always. This article is about my first impression in Germany so far, and once again I will say it has been life-changing.
- Arrival
- Orientation in the city
- Starting project work with our tandem-partners
- Travelling in Germany
- German mentality and punctuality
Arriving at Frankfurt International Airport on Easter Monday, I noticed a huge difference in terms of the weather. Even though I had a jacket on, the cold was very harsh even though it was sunny as well. One thing which shocked me in April – which was Spring – was how most Germans were standing in the sun even though it was a bit shining and hot, because back at home we always run away from the unbearable scorch of the sun – and these people are happily running to hug the sun.1
We first met Peter, one of our German partners in the team – who later became tandem-partner with Emmanuel – who welcomed us with drinks and snacks. Later on Professor Isabel Martin and Dr Nicole Bachor-Pfeff, a colleague of Prof Isabel from the German Department, came, and we took the long but relaxing trip from Frankfurt to Bruchsal where Dr Nicole and her family lives. The car ride took about an hour, and I must say I loved the scenery. I initially thought I was only going to see buildings and skyscrapers, but then I was seeing these beautiful green sceneries which I loved.
We arrived at Bruchsal, where we met with Dr Nicole’s mum and husband and we shared a meal with them. That was when I tasted the asparagus soup which was pretty amazing with dark rye bread which were made by Prof Isabel. That was my first time tasting a German bread which was indeed delicious to me. Dr Nicole gave us coloured boiled Easter eggs and small chocolate Easter bunnies, and we shared some talks on Easter and how it is celebrated in our regions.
Moving on we arrived at our place in Karlsruhe, precisely Haus Lavigérie. This was where Emmanuel and myself were to stay for the next three months in Germany. Since it is an inter-religious center, it brought some beautiful peaceful space and there we received a nice welcome from Father Bonaventura Wanakweri, one of the White Fathers living and working at Haus Lavigérie.
The weather here in Karlsruhe is one I have never experienced before. During my first two weeks I had to sleep with both heaters regulated to 5, the highest notch, which made me understand why Germans prioritize heaters over air conditions and fans. Most of the buildings I have entered so far only have heaters. On a good note, during the following weeks, I was able to bottle up the cold but had to wear a lot of heavy garments because my little hands and feet were always freezing. Leaving the issue about the weather, there are other things I have experienced when it comes to the geography of Karlsruhe which I must say are part of my highlights in these past few weeks.
I can admit that I have gotten lost in this city many times because most of the houses here look alike to me. I thought I could circle around but then I still got lost which was hilarious but then I had google maps to rely on sometimes. Precisely, it was hard navigating the routes due to the difficulty in understanding the navigation of the maps, and because I was new to the city. Hence it was not helpful at that point. Sometimes when I get lost again, I just jump on a tram that leads to Europaplatz which is like a central tram station. Also there are some large buildings I took note of like the Castle, the Postgalerie (shopping-centre), the Catholic church. Whenever I get in contact with these buildings, I know that I am close to home. To be honest Karlsruhe has some of the most beautiful streets. Even though there are a lot of constructions going on, the place looks lively. Additionally, the fact that there is still daylight during 6 to 9 p.m. or even later in the summer months was rather new to me because I had heard of it but not experienced it before.
3. Starting project work with our tandem-partners
Coming here has helped me meet a lot of wonderful people. Specifically, our German tandem-partners Maya, Peter, and Sara, with whom we learn and un-learn bi-directionally, have been so helpful and have always made us feel comfortable. They have always been there for us when we need them in terms of grocery shopping, checking of train connections, helping us have some conversation in German when we cannot. They are really like family to us now. I love the fact that we get to share our experiences together and try to understand and respect each others’ backgrounds. Peter introduced us to the game of Frisbee which till date I still love. We mostly played frisbee during our free hours and breaks at the Karlsruhe Castle which is not far from the university. It was really a fun experience getting to learn a new sporting activity.
Life and work at the PHKA has been without a hitch and interesting because my seminars triggered the realisation in me that I had certain (colonial) epistemes – a way of thinking in binary oppositions – which I then decided to refute. I enrolled in Prof. Isabel Martin’s seminars, i.e. “Decoloniality Praxis”, “Global Englishes, Global Citizenship Education & Teaching International English”, “Postcolonial Theories and Literatures”, and “World Dance Calling”.
“Decoloniality Praxis” as a course teaches us about how we can recognise coloniality in English Language teaching and create alternatives. Colonization I would say has been one of the biggest problem for most countries in the global South. Where I will say that colonization comes about when one group of people feel like they are superior than others, hence shove their culture to another group of people who are seen as weak and “not well civilised” – forgetting the fact that these people also have an identity which needs to be upheld and not distorted. Growing up as a 21st century Ghanaian I was taught that colonization affected most of our political, educational, economic, religious, and cultural institutions both negatively and positively. The course “Decoloniality Praxis” questions the “positively” and can help us take out or “unlearn” such colonial knowledge and ways of teaching which still exist currently. I believe since we are pushing in for a world of equality in our ASA Academia #1107 project, administering this course can help us move towards that goal. In addition, it can help us future teachers to transmit this knowledge to the next generation so they can have better lives and respect each other no matter where the individual comes from.
This course plays an important role in our ASA Academia project #1107, which was why our team had to enroll in it. We will be presenting decolonial school lessons based on what we have learnt from this course in two secondary schools. Prof. Isabel’s other seminars were optional for us, but I loved the content they presented anyway and will write about those in my next blog article.
In May, I had my first train ride experience from Karlsruhe to Berlin. In this ASA Academia internship format, we got one online and one on-site 5-day seminar from Engagement Global. During these seminars, we explored different topics such as Colonialism and its effect, Discrimination and Racism, Development Aid, and Feminism. The organisation of these seminars according to topics were exceptional, something I had not experienced before. We had meaningful discussions on these topics online and that was when I saw impactful youth who needed a change in their various societies. The submissions which were welcomed without criticism showed how most Global South youth were demanding for a change and improvement in their part of the world even though history has not been fair with them. During the seminars which talked about Development Aid and Colonization I got to understand certain issues which were being faced by the people not only from the global South but the world at large. I got to understand their root causes and their effects and suggest certain measures that could be put in place to solve them to attain sustainability which is essential.
These two seminars were very impactful because there were a lot of spaces where positive conversations on problem-solving and also teamwork were encouraged. All these spaces were created for interaction amongst about sixty participants in the different ASA projects. These past few weeks I must say I have done a lot of reflections. During the on-site seminar in Berlin, I also met different people from different backgrounds like Germany, Mexico, Kenya, Uganda, Benin, and so many more. I hope this space always exists and not only for ASA participants, but also for other students and organizations who want to make a difference in this world. These spaces I believe can be created by organizing an International Club in universities who want to see a change in the world. An example is the PH Karlsruhe International Office which accepts students from different backgrounds, where these students come together to learn and share their experiences.
In addition a space like this pushes for the learning of new cultures, appreciating them, and understanding them as well. This would enable young people from other countries to meet each other and express their challenges in their respective country and also themselves. I loved the whole week in Berlin. I had the opportunity to visit The German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy. We walked through the city of Berlin, and I got the chance to see the Bundestag, the broken Wall which separated Germany, the Chancellor’s residence, the futuristic museum, Brandenburg Gate and much else. We had amazing tutors: they helped us during our team bonding moments at the seminar in Berlin and also guided us in making reflections of what we learnt at the seminars.
I have had the opportunity to visit some German towns and cities through contacts, i.e. the friends I made during the ASA week in Berlin and also through some outings I did with the team. The places I visited so far are Mannheim, Frankfurt, Landau, Hockenheim, Muggensturm, and Stuttgart, and many more to come up next.
Moving on from the cities that I visited which was really fun I also had the opportunity to engage with some fun activities which were organized by Prof Isabel Martin – which still lingers on my mind till date due to the experience. The first activity was the International Lunch which was organized at the home of Miss Martin soon after our arrival. There are a lot of dishes I have tried here due to the International Lunches at her place. I tasted different food from different regions from Germany, Laos, Italy, Syria, Brazil, China among others, and they were so good. This gathering of Miss Martin I believe is a very nice idea because having a whole lunch where there are different dishes from different people on the globe fosters a better understanding amongst the different type of people. This is because looking at the stage this world has gotten to when it comes to global peace and international peace and understanding activities like getting to taste food from different parts of the globe can help in pushing for more understanding through conversations that would be made. Hence we get to identify some things we are as a people from different regions have in common and build on them. It was during the first lunch that I saw that one Brazilian dish which was just like Ghanaian food.
One shocking thing that happened over the International Lunch Sunday was how nobody noticed that we talked for more than 8 hours where we later on took a refreshing walk in the nearby Oberwald (“upper forest”) and then just continued talking over cleaning up Miss Martin’s kitchen. I believe that if this is promoted a strong international community can be built.
5. German mentality and punctuality
In all, the experience has been exceptional so far when I look at the things I have learnt, the people I have met, and the places I have been to. One thing that people mostly say about Germans – which I have been able to repel – is the fact that they are unfriendly. I heard this on the Internet, mostly on social media apps due to the experiences shared by some people. But with mine I can proudly say I have a different narrative now, and after encounters I have had with some Germans, I can say that they are really nice people. A country of warm-hearted people that always say “dankeschön” (literally “thank you beautifully”) and “bitte” (connotes “please”), how can they be termed as rude.
I have been able to learn from them in terms of being direct and straightforward and being punctual at all times. An example is most people I met at university were not that spontaneous: you always had to schedule a meeting time with them because of their other scheduled appointments. I will use my experience with Miss Martin as an example: when she says you need to come by at 7 p.m. you have to be there because by 7 she would be ready to leave. This is one of the numerous things I have learnt from Miss Martin that is being time-conscious.
The life changing experience still continues, and I wish it would not end.
Text by Eli Attipoe
Photos by Emmanuel Agyapong, Sara Aleid, Eli Attipoe, Maya Isabel Hart & Isabel Martin
Editor’s Note
1 In April, we are happy to feel the warmth of the sun returning after 4-5 long (really) cold winter months. White people need sunlight to produce enough vitamin D because the lower amount of melanin in their skin absorbs less UV radiation. The notorious lack of vitamin D over winter can lead to tiredness, low energy, proneness for infections, hair loss, or depressive moods.
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